


Fairy Ink

by MissusCarlikins



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, F/M, Friendship, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-21
Updated: 2015-08-21
Packaged: 2018-04-16 11:45:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4624143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissusCarlikins/pseuds/MissusCarlikins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Levy is a tattoo artist, and Gajeel falls instantly in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Juvia's inking a hottie," Lucy murmured, making Levy jump. She hadn't even heard her friend approach.

She glanced up from her sketchpad and towards Juvia's station, and sure enough there was a hottie. A shirtless hottie.

"Sometimes, I really love my job," Lucy sighed, shifting so she could ogle the man better. Levy hummed in agreement, but her attention was quickly drawn back to her sketchpad. She'd had this design in her head all night and she was excited to finally get it on paper.

The quiet buzzing from Juvia's needle became white noise as Levy delved deeper into her art. She'd grown up in this store; the smell of ink and the sound of needles as big a part of her as her wild mess of hair. After school she'd curl up in the backroom with her sketchpad and draw whatever was on her mind. She could still feel the warmth from the time when Macao ruffled her hair and told her that one day she'd be the one out there wielding the needle. All those years ago she's flushed and laughed, swatting his hand away, but it'd turned out he'd been right.

The thought brought a smile to her face, even as sadness swelled in her chest. Some days she wished she could go back.

She felt fingers slip into her hair and she shifted back, closer to Lucy, and when Lucy tapped her shoulder she passed the felt-tip pen she wasn't using, chewing on the end of her pencil as she tried to figure out how to do the next part. She barely noticed the cool brush of the pen against her skin as Lucy got to work, her mind focused on her own work. Just a few more details and it would be complete.

"Looks good," Juvia said, her shadow falling over the two of them.

"Mine or hers?" Lucy asked, her breath stirring some of the loose hairs at the nape of Levy's neck.

"Both."

Levy grinned and sat up, or at least tried to, but Lucy's hand on her shoulder pushed her head down.

"Wait. Almost done."

A few seconds later Lucy straightened, snapping the cap on the pen and handing it back to Levy.

"Some of my best work, if I do say so myself," Lucy said, rising to her feet. Levy chuckled and got to her own feet, sliding her sketchbook under her arm.

"Too bad it's going to fade," Levy said.

"Then I'll just have to do it again, but this time with the needle."

Levy chuckled and glanced over her shoulder at the mirror she kept next to her chair. The wings on her back peeked out from under her tank top, but she barely glanced at them, focusing instead on the butterfly drawn on her neck. Lucy was right, it was some of her best work.

"That might not be too bad."

Lucy laughed and threw an arm over Levy's shoulders.

"So, I was thinking after work we could all go drinking. Cana said she was lonely."

Levy rolled her eyes. "You just want to flirt with her some more."

Lucy laughed again and shrugged, holding her hands up. "Hey, she's an attractive woman. Right, Juv?"

Color crept into Juvia's cheeks and she ducked her head. "Juvia thinks so."

Levy smiled and kicked the door to the backroom open, tossing her sketchbook towards the desk. Her eyes skittered over the bags of chips and empty soda cans and her lip curled.

"Clean up your mess!" she shouted, ducking into the room to grab her purse.

"We do!" Lucy shouted back.

"It was Natsu," Juvia said from the doorway where she surveyed the room with a frown.

"Of _course_ it was."

Levy, Lucy, and Juvia were the tattoo artists of Fairy Ink, a small tattoo parlor located in downtown Magnolia. For such a small shop it got quite a bit of business, and that was all thanks to Mirajane honestly. She pretty much ran the place and dealt with all publicity. Just last month she'd gotten them on the cover of _Inked_ , and since then they'd been getting almost non-stop customers.

Natsu was their resident piercer. He only worked Fridays-Mondays, and yet somehow he managed to make a giant mess even when he wasn't here.

"Should we just leave it until Friday?" she asked, sifting through her bag – past all the loose paper and books – until she managed to find her phone.

"Then he'll just make it worse."

She paused and glanced back at the little table that she couldn't even see underneath all the trash. "How would that even be possible?"

Juvia shrugged. "Impossible has never applied to Natsu."

Levy laughed and glanced down at her phone, the smile melting into a small frown as she breathed a sigh.

Four missed called.

Jet. Droy. Jet again. And …

She dropped her phone to the couch and followed it down, groaning into the cushions. She just wasn't in the mood the deal with that right then.

"So …" Lucy said, appearing at the door. "Drinks?"

Levy turned her face so she could stare at her friends, her cheek pressed against the cushions.

"Count me in." A drink – or maybe 10 – sounded perfect.

Lucy whooped and turned away, her fingers flying over her phone, but Juvia remained in the doorway, her brow creasing with concern.

"Is Levy okay?"

Levy pushed herself into a sitting position with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Fine, fine. Levy is fine," she said, her smile too forced. She knew she wasn't fooling anyone. "Why don't you go help Lucy close," she added before Juvia could say more. "I'll be out in a minute."

Juvia hovered for a moment longer, but Levy shooed her away with another wave of her hand. Then, once Juvia was gone, she grabbed her phone and quickly sent off a text.

_Sorry I missed you. At work. Call you later._

She sighed again and switched her phone to silent, dropping it back into her bag.

 _Later_.

x

"Damn," Cana said, whistling at the sight of Levy's temporary tattoo. "Have I mentioned how much I hate you recently?"

Lucy laughed add patted Cana's shoulder.

"Would it help if I bought you a drink?"

"It's a start, Heartfilia."

"Can I get you guys anything?" Lucy asked. In response Levy held up her half full drink and Juvia just shook her head. "Alright then."

Then she tugged Cana down the stairs and Levy swiveled in her seat to face Juvia, glad that they'd chosen a balcony table. The music wasn't unbearable up here, and they could actually hold a conversation without having to shout.

"How are things going with …. Was it Dave?" Levy asked, sipping her drink. She wasn't a big drinker, but she'd never been able to say no to the fruity concoctions.

"Dan, actually," Juvia corrected, her lips curling in a smirk. "And Dan is no more."

"Oh. I'm … sorry?"

Juvia laughed and flicked her eyes around the club. "No. Dan was …"

"An idiot?" Levy supplied.

"Yes, amongst other things." Juvia lifted a shoulder in a half shrug, her fingers teasing the edge of her glass. "Juvia should've listened to her friends."

"Damn right you should've," Levy said, smiling. "We're always right."

Juvia breathed a laugh and Levy reached out, resting her hand on her friend's shoulder. She gave it a squeeze and Juvia's gaze flicked to her face.

"Wanna get drunk and forget all about him?"

And when Juvia just stared at her with a blank expression and said, "No, not really" she could only throw her head back and laugh.

x

Cana and Lucy returned 10 minutes later with drinks in hand and Natsu following behind. He grinned when he saw Levy and Juvia and threw his arms around them in a hug.

"I ran into Luce downstairs." He bounced back a few steps so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders and shake her. "I can't believe you tried to go clubbing without me!"

Lucy rolled her eyes towards the ceiling and held out her hands, beer bottles clinking together from between her fingers. "I tried to tell him it was a girls night, but he just didn't listen."

"Hey, I can be one of the girls," he said, snatching one of the bottles from her hand and sinking into the seat next to Levy. "So, what are we talking about? Boys? Fashion?"

Levy rolled her eyes and Juvia chuckled.

"Speaking of boys," Cana drawled, nudging Lucy's shoulder. "Guess who just got a number?"

Lucy flushed and ducked her head as she sank into the chair next to Natsu. Cana laughed, leaning her hip against their table and taking a swallow from her bottle.

"I'm not going to call him," Lucy said.

"Why not?"

"Before we walked up he was flirting with the girl next to him, and after we walked away I'm pretty sure he started flirting with _another_ girl."

"So he's a flirt, so what? I say you call him up, get a little wild in bed, and then say au revoir."

Lucy's face flamed and even Levy felt heat creep to her cheeks.

"I'm feeling objectified," Natsu complained. "Men are not just objects for sex."

Cana laughed and ruffled his hair. "Thought you said you were one of the girls."

Natsu huffed and Levy chuckled, sipping her drink and glancing down over the crowd. The music shifted, the beat becoming faster, and the dance floor came alive with movement. Juvia cocked her head to the side, a smile curling her lips.

"Juvia likes this song."

"Then let's dance!" Natsu said, leaping to his feet. He grabbed Juvia's wrist and tugged her down the stairs and Cana laughed.

"Well, you heard the boy. Let's go dance." She set her bottle on the table and followed them down.

Levy didn't move and Lucy glanced at her.

"Not going to dance?"

"Not just yet. I think I'll keep our table." She dipped her head towards the dance floor. "Go dance your heart out. Maybe find that guy." She laughed when color crept up Lucy's face and waved her hand. "Go."

Lucy shook her head but got to her feet. "I'll be back for you, McGarden," she warned. "And we're going to dance until we collapse."

"I look forward to."

And then she was alone. She turned in her chair to lean on the railing, and watched as her friends melded into the crowd. It was easy to spot Natsu, his pink hair practically a beacon, and she smiled when she saw him throw his hands in the air and shimmy. She knew she should be down there, enjoying herself with them, but there was a cloud in the back of her head.

Her eyes flicked towards her purse and she sighed. Her phone might be on silent, but she still knew there'd be a message waiting for her.

Instead of dwelling on it she tipped her head back and finished the rest of her drink. She'd always been a lightweight and already she could feel the slight buzz in her head from the alcohol.

 _I'm going to have a good time tonight_.

So she got to her feet and slipped down the stairs to join her friends.

x

"Somebody drank too much," Natsu said as he carried her up the stairs to her apartment. She giggled, her head lolling against his chest, and she stared up at him through her lashes.

"Have I told you how pretty you are?" she asked, reaching up to brush her fingers over his cheek.

"Yes, many times."

"She's definitely drunk," Lucy said from somewhere behind Natsu's shoulder.

"Only a little," Levy murmured, her hand slipping down to curl in Natsu's scarf.

She hadn't planned to drink so much, but after dancing for an hour she'd looked at her phone to check the time, and well … after that the rest was pretty much a blur.

She sighed and pressed closer to Natsu's chest, not noticing when Lucy unlocked her door and held it open for them. He felt so nice, so warm. She could fall asleep in his arms.

"Alright, down you go." She laughed as he dropped her to her couch, releasing his scarf to stretch her arms out above her. "You going to be okay on your own?"

"Mm." She nodded and rolled to her side, staring up at him.

"Okay." He crouched next to her and brushed his mouth over her forehead. "See you tomorrow."

She smiled and turned her face into the cushions.

"Oh, you've got a message." There was a beep from the machine followed by the door clicking shut as they left.

" _Levy, it's Mark. I know you're avoiding me, but we need to talk. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away._ " She groaned and pressed her face deeper into the couch. " _I'm coming over tomorrow morning before work._ " There was a pause from him. " _I'll see you then, I guess._ " Then there was a beep as the message came to an end and the automated voice from the machine started listing her options.

She just let it play until it quieted and rolled to her back, throwing her arm over her eyes. She'd deal with it later.

 _Later_.


	2. Chapter 2

Levy woke up to someone playing bongos on her head and she groaned into the couch. She hadn't planned on sleeping out here, but once she'd gotten on the couch she just couldn't be bothered to move.

"I should've had Natsu drop me on my bed," she muttered, pushing herself off the couch. The world spun for a minute and the bongos became an entire marching band. She groaned again and dropped her head into her hands, taking a few deep breaths as the nausea passed.

It took her longer than she would've liked to get to her feet and shuffle towards the kitchen, and longer still to start up the coffee machine. Once the coffee was _finally_ dripping into the pot she grabbed a glass and pulled the orange juice out of her fridge.

Wakaba had always told her the best way to fight a hangover was to stay hydrated. So, one big glass of orange juice later she shuffled towards the bathroom. She didn't work for two hours, but she was still in the clothes from last night and she just felt _gross_. She only made it halfway down the hall when she heard the knock.

_Who would be visiting this early?_

With a groan she turned and headed towards the door, but it wasn't until she had her hand on the doorknob that she remembered the message from last night. She paused, staring at the dark wood, as if she could see the man standing on the other side.

Another knock rang out and she bit her lip. She could always step back, go to the bathroom and pretend like she'd just missed him. She knew he wouldn't wait for long, he had to get to work after all. But …

With a sigh she twisted the door open, forcing her face into some semblance of a smile.

"Hello, Mark."

Mark blinked when he saw her, clearly surprised – that she actually answered the door? – and a slow smile curled his lips. It reminded her of why she fell for him in the first place.

"Would you like to come in?"

She stepped back and held the door open so he could step inside. Already he was in work mode, his suit crisp and his briefcase at his side. His dark hair was slicked out of his face, and each step he took was full of confidence. He was the opposite of her.

She knew her hair was a tangled mess, it always was in the morning and sleeping on the couch didn't help. Her clothes were wrinkled and smelled like sweat and smoke, and she knew her breath probably stank.

They couldn't be more different.

With a sigh she followed him to the couch, but he didn't sit and neither did she.

"Levy," he said, dipping his head. "You look …"

"Terrible, I know," she finished for him, mouth twisting in a rueful grin. She lifted a shoulder in a half shrug, twisting her fingers together. Her eyes flicked to Mark and she took a deep breath. Seeing him now, after so much time, had her heart aching.

They'd been together for almost two years. She'd thought this would be it, that he would be _the one_ , but a few months ago … trouble had happened.

"I'm sorry I've been so hard to reach," she said, turning away to straighten one of her stacks of books. She couldn't look at him. "It's been really busy at work ever since that interview."

"I saw it."

She licked her lips, lifting her head to stare out the window. She could see him in the reflection, nothing more than a blurry figure, and words crawled up her throat only to die on her tongue.

_I can't do this_.

"Levy," he said again, stepping closer. She shook her head and he stopped. She released her breath on a sigh and turned to face him, a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"Do you remember when we first met?" she asked. There was a tremor to her voice and she could feel the tears burning her eyes. "It was at the library of all places, reaching for the same book." Her fingers curled around the book in her hand. "You let me check it out first and I slipped my number in the pages." She laughed, her eyes flicking towards the ceiling. "I never thought you'd actually call."

"I wasn't even sure it was your number," he said. "My palms were so sweaty I could barely grip the phone, but then you answered …" He trailed off and she smiled, biting her bottom lip. "I'd never met anyone so beautiful before." And when he looked at her, his eyes were shining with the truth of those words. She couldn't stop the sob from crawling up her throat, and he took three quick steps to her side, wrapping his arms around her.

His warmth was familiar. She used to fall asleep in his arms every night. The book slid from between her fingers and she wrapped her arms around him, hands fisting in the back of his suit.

_Don't cry_.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'm so sorry."

She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, the tears threatening to spill over.

_Don't cry._

"It's been over for a long time," she said. Her voice was quiet, she didn't want to speak these words. "We've just been putting off the inevitable." She drew back so she could see his face, reaching up to brush her hand over his cheek. "Or I guess … I've been putting it off." She smiled, fingers curling into a fist as her hand fell back to her side.

"I love you," was all he said, and she squeezed his arm.

"I know." She breathed a sigh and rose on her toes, brushing her mouth across his cheek. "I'll always love you."

For a moment they just stayed there, finding comfort in each other's warmth. Saying goodbye without words.

Then she released him and stepped back, dipping her head in a small nod.

"Have a good one, Mark."

She couldn't watch him leave, knowing that would break her. So instead she bent to pick up the book, listening to his footsteps as he moved back to the door. He paused there, but still she didn't look up.

"I'll see you around, Levy," he said. Then the door clicked shut and he was gone.

She curled around the book, her chest aching and her eyes stinging.

"No, you won't."

x

"You look cute today," Lucy said. "Hot date?"

"Unlikely," Levy said, falling onto the couch. "Seeing as Mark and I are no more." Just thinking about it caused a stinging pain in her heart, but she wasn't going to pretend like it hadn't happened.

Lucy came to sit by her, fingers teasing her hair. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I know things have been rough lately."

Levy shrugged and stared up at the ceiling. "It was long overdue." She breathed a sigh and glanced towards Lucy. "I guess I was just hoping it would magically work out and we could go back to how things were before … but, that just wasn't the case."

"It rarely is. Besides … he was no good for you anyways."

"Lucy."

"What? It's true. Any man that doesn't respect the ink isn't worth your time."

Levy chuckled and glanced up at her friend. "He had no problem with my tattoos."

"Then why, dear, did he make you cover them up every time you went to hang out with his work buddies?"

"Because his work buddies are judgmental pricks who consider tattoos and piercings unprofessional."

"My point exactly. On some level Mark was also one of those judgmental pricks, you just don't want to accept it."

Levy rolled her eyes and sat up so she could stare at Lucy. "You're trying awfully hard to paint him as a villain."

Lucy shrugged, her lips quirking with a smile. "That's what friends do."

Levy laughed, already feeling the weight from the morning begin to melt away. She knew she wouldn't get over this right away, she _had_ spent two years of her life in the relationship, but that's what friends were for. Lucy would keep her from mourning for too long.

The bell above the door jingled and Lucy hopped to her feet. "I'll get it." Then she disappeared into the front room and Levy drooped against the couch.

There was a lingering headache behind her eyes and she felt drained after everything. Right then she just wanted to curl up and sleep for a few hours …

"I see someone's keeping busy."

Her eyes popped open and she blinked in surprise, her confused expression melting into a smile when she recognized the person.

"Lisanna!" she crowed, jumping to her feet so she could throw her arms around the other girl. "You're back."

Lisanna laughed and patted Levy's back.

"How have you been?"

"Oh you know," Levy said, stepping back so she could look at her friend. Lisanna had been traveling abroad for the past year and it was good to see her again. "I've been better."

Lisanna winced and squeezed her shoulder. "Want to talk?"

"Nah. I don't wanna bum you out with my boring life." Levy moved back to the couch and Lisanna followed. She turned so she was facing her friend and smiled. "Tell me about your trip."

They chatted for the next hour, finally stopping when Mirajane popped her head in to inform Levy that her 12 o'clock appointment was in.

"I'll let you get to work," Lisanna said, rising to her feet. Levy did the same and they shared a hug before heading towards the front room. "You're free tomorrow right?"

"Free as a bird."

"We should do something."

"Definitely."

"See you guys," Lisanna called as she slipped out the door. Levy gave her a final wave and turned towards the man on the couch.

"So, you ready?"

x

Two hours later Levy was sending him out the door with his aftercare list and a new tattoo. The tattooing had taken longer than she'd expected, but she didn't mind. Quality took time, plus it had given her something to focus on. Of course now it was over and her thoughts were drifting back to that morning.

"I'm going to go get some lunch," Lucy said. "Need anything?"

"No."

"One veggie burger coming right up." Lucy grabbed her purse from the backroom and skipped towards the door. "I'll be back." Then she was gone and Levy sank into one of the chairs.

While she worked she had pushed her sweater sleeves up and now she studied the tattoos that crawled up her arms, her mind drifting back to what Lucy had said. It was true, every time she'd hung out with Mark and his work friends she'd had to wear long sleeves or cover the tattoos with makeup. She traced the left one with her finger, an open book on her wrist with scenes from all her favorite fairy tales stretching above it, connected by swirls of light. It had taken time and a lot of money to get. She'd started it on her 18th birthday, and every year after she'd added another scene until now, five years later, she'd run out of room.

She smiled and stretched out on the chair, tipping her head back to look at the ceiling. She could never imagine being ashamed of her tattoos, they were a part of her, part of her skin. Her smile slipped and she sighed. Lucy was right, anyone who couldn’t respect them wasn't worth her time.

Her eyes drifted shut and she stretched her arms over her head. She didn't have any more appointments scheduled for the day and only had 2 more hours left in her shift. She wasn't sure what she'd do to kill the time since she doubted anyone would be coming in for a tattoo at 2 o'clock on a Thursday.

She hummed under her breath as she twirled in the chair, wishing Lucy would hurry up with the food. She wasn't even that hungry, but it would at least give her something to do.

A sound made her pause and she cocked her head to the side, blinking her eyes open and turning towards the front. What she saw made her want to turn right back around.

Two faces were pressed to the glass, two sets of eyes staring right at her. When they saw her they nearly fell over each other in their haste to get in the door, and she braced herself as they stumbled to her side and threw their arms around her, sinking to their knees.

"Levy!" Droy wailed. "Why weren't you returning our calls?"

"We thought something must've happened to you," Jet said, his face buried in Levy's stomach.

"Hey Jet, Droy," she said, casting her eyes towards the ceiling. "Sorry. I've been busy."

And when they just squeezed her tighter she sighed, patting their heads.

At least she wouldn't have to search for something to do now.


	3. Chapter 3

Jet, Droy, and Levy had been friends for years. She honestly couldn't remember a time when they weren't by her side, causing trouble and watching out for her. They were her best friends, practically her brothers.

And they drove her absolutely crazy.

Jet had his face pressed against Levy's stomach and Droy had settled for hugging her legs against his chest. The two of them were "crying" about how Levy could've gotten in an accident and they wouldn't have known since she _wasn't returning their calls_.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, pressing her lips together to fight the smile.

Always the drama queens, these two.

"Alright you two," she said, pushing at their heads. "Collect yourselves."

There were a few sniffles as they released her and got to their feet, both staring down at her with pouts.

"I'm sorry for not calling you back. Things have been busy lately."

Jet looked around the empty store and then back at her, arching an eyebrow.

She huffed at his unspoken accusation and smacked his side. "I meant busy in my _life_."

Jet held up his hands and Droy laughed. They both shifted back so they could rest against the tattooing chair and she pursed her lips in a small frown.

"Besides, if it was important you should've left a message."

"We thought about it," Jet said, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile.

"But then we decided we'd rather come see you in person," Droy added.

"You know you don't need an excuse to visit," she said.

"We know, but if we have an excuse then you can't get mad and yell at us for annoying you," Droy said, grinning brightly.

She huffed a laugh and relaxed back in her chair. "I don't _always_ yell." When they just looked at her she held her hands up and laughed again. "Alright, alright. Stop with the accusations. You know I love you guys."

"We know," Droy said.

"So … what was so important you had to come all the way down here?"

"We're leaving on Saturday," Droy said.

"My dad wants me to go handle some business deal in Italy," Jet said.

"Oh? How long will you be gone?"

Jet shrugged. "Hopefully a week, probably two though."

"Hmm." It wasn't uncommon for Jet to get shipped across the country to deal with things his dad didn't want to bother with. She still remembered the time when they were just barely 18 and he'd been sent to Japan for a month. He'd called every day to check up on her, at the time it had been annoying, but now the memory made her smile.

"You'll be safe?" she asked.

"Always."

She nodded and got to her feet. The bell above the door jingled and she glanced past them at Lucy.

"You'll be okay here?" Droy asked, worry in his voice. Her eyes flicked to his face and she smiled.

"Don't worry about me. Just have fun in Italy."

She reached out and they stepped into her arms. There was once a time when they were all the same height, now she felt dwarfed by them.

"I didn't buy enough food for everyone," Lucy said as she walked past them. "So you two are screwed."

"We're not staying," Jet said, stepping away from Levy with a smile. "Packing to do." Then he grabbed Droy's arm and started tugging him towards the door. "We'll call you."

She lifted her hand in a wave, waiting until they were out of sight before following Lucy into the backroom.

x

Fridays never came fast enough and always went by too quickly. She could've sworn that just a few minutes ago it was noon, but her clock flashed 8:00 in big red numbers. She eyed the pile of dirty laundry in the corner of the room that she hadn't got around to washing with a groan, but turned her back to it to dig through her closet for something decent.

Lisanna had called a couple of hours ago and told her to be ready at 8:15 sharp for a wild night out, which could really mean anything. She could end up being dragged to a fancy restaurant or a trashy club, anything goes when it came to Lisanna.

Finally she decided on a comfortable pair of jeans – that hugged her ass just right if she said so herself – and a loose button up blouse made of a sheer fabric, showing off the lacy undershirt. Fancy enough for a restaurant and comfortable enough for dancing, the perfect outfit. She glanced at the clock – 8:10 – and then at the mirror, scowling at her hair. There was no way she'd ever be able to make it presentable in only five minutes, and sure enough five minutes later when she heard the knock on the door her hair was the same as before –possibly messier. With a sigh she quickly twisted it into a loose bun, grabbing her purse as she hurried to the door.

"You ready?" Lisanna asked, grinning brightly.

"Yep. Where are we heading?" She stepped outside and shut the door behind her, making sure it was locked before following Lisanna towards the stairs.

"Natsu said he'd take us to a great bar. Extalia or something. We're going to meet up with him at Fairy Ink."

"Great, I get to go to work even when I'm not working," Levy said dryly, smiling when Lisanna laughed.

"Relax, it'll only be for a minute. Besides-" She slanted a look at Levy, her lips curling with a smirk. "-it's not like you do any real work there."

Levy laughed, pushing open the door to step out to the street. "I'd argue, but I was raised not to lie."

Lisanna chuckled and they turned down the street towards Fairy Ink, chatting about this and that as they walked. One of the reasons Levy had chosen her apartment was because it was only a 15 minute walk to work.

The bell above the door jingled as they stepped inside and Lucy looked up, smiling when she saw them.

"Hey guys, he's just finishing up with a customer."

They sat on the couch and Levy glanced back towards the private room. They only used it when a customer requested it, and usually the customers only asked if they were getting something that required them to get semi-naked … which made her wonder what that customer was getting.

She looked back at Lucy with a raised eyebrow and Lucy motioned down towards her … _oh_.

"Ouch." Levy winced just _thinking_ about that.

"Yeah."

Lisanna glanced between them, arching her brows, but before they could tell her the door swung open and Natsu stepped out.

"Ya gotta take good care of it," he said. "Don't want _that_ to get infected."

The man winced and Levy hid a giggle behind her hand.

"So …" Lucy started, as soon as the man was out the door.

Natsu held up his hand. "Don't."

"I wasn't going to say anything."

" _Sure_ you weren't."

Then he turned to Lisanna and Levy, his smile huge. "You ready?"

"Did you clean up your mess?" Levy asked, her own smile artificially sweet.

His mouth twisted into a pout and he stared at her, but she just arched a brow.

"Fine," he huffed, turning to stomp towards the back. They watched him go, laughing quietly.

"He's such a child," Lucy said, but her voice was full of fondness, and when she watched him her eyes grew warm. Levy was 80% positive that Lucy was in love with Natsu (and 100% positive that Natsu loved Lucy), but she didn't say anything. Instead she waited for them to figure it out on their own.

"Are you coming with us?" Lisanna asked.

"Mm. Better not. Tomorrow's my day off, but I do have to get up early for a workshop."

"How is your writing going?" Levy asked, sitting up straighter. When they met a few years ago Lucy had just began writing a novel, and after much pestering on Levy's part, she'd promised to let Levy read it when it was done. "Is it done yet?"

"Almost," Lucy said with a laugh. "A few more chapters and then you can read it."

"Yesss!"

Lisanna laughed. "Will you let me read it too?" she asked, and Lucy shrugged.

"If you can pry it from Levy."

Levy smirked at Lisanna. "Over my dead body."

Lisanna rolled her eyes, whatever response she had cut short by Natsu reappearing.

"Let's go!"

Then he was out the door and, with a final goodbye to Lucy, Lisanna and Levy followed.

x

"Doesn't look like much," Lisanna said.

"Trust me, it's great."

Bars and clubs lined the street, most with neon signs advertising their beers or hot girls, but the one in front of them was dark. A sign flashed Open and fading silver paint was stretched across the window, spelling out Extalia in big block letters.

"It looks …" Levy started, not quite sure how to finish the sentence.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," Natsu said, shooting a grin over his shoulder before pushing open the door. He held it open for them and she had to pause once inside for eyes to adjust to the dim lighting.

It wasn't a terrible set up. There was a stage against one wall with a band warming up, the bar was against another wall, and the tables were spread out across the floor. Some of the tables had been moved away from the stage to clear a space for dancing, and people were already milling about. It wasn't as crowded as their usual haunt, but she could tell it got quite a bit of business.

"Lily, the owner, only has local bands play here," Natsu said, leading them towards the bar. "I've discovered some really great music because of that."

Levy hummed and glanced towards the stage. The band appeared to be a ragtag group of 20 year olds and she wondered how good they would be.

"As long as we can dance I don't care who's playing," Lisanna said, grinning.

"That's the spirit!" Natsu smiled at them before turning to face the bar. "Three of your specials, Lily!"

Levy blinked in surprise when she saw the man that faced them. When she'd heard the owner referred to as Lily she'd assumed they were a woman, but she'd been very, _very_ wrong.

Lily was in fact a man (at least biologically), with broad shoulders, a bald head, and a scar curling around his left eye.

_Scary_ , was her first thought. But when he saw Natsu his eyes crinkled and his lips pulled up in a warm smile.

"I was wondering if you'd be in tonight," he rumbled, his voice reminding her of a cat's purr.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Then Natsu stepped to the side and motioned towards her and Lisanna. "These are my friends. Levy's the short one, Lisanna is the pretty one."

"Excuse me," Levy snapped, glaring at Natsu.

"You're pretty too."

She huffed and Lisanna laughed, stepping forward.

"Nice to meet you … Lily?"

"I know, my name doesn't fit my appearance." He shrugged. "My mother liked flowers."

"I think it's a nice name," Levy said, claiming one of the stools.

Lily smiled at her and dipped his head, grabbing a couple of bottles to mix their drinks. When he was done he slid the glasses to them and she stared down at it. It was a very pink drink. Natsu just grabbed his and shot it back in one gulp, smirking when he put the empty glass down.

"Fruity."

Then the first chords rang out and Natsu whooped.

"Party time!"

He grabbed Lisanna's arm and she only had a second to shoot back her drink before she was dragged to the dance floor. Levy chuckled and sipped her drink more leisurely. Natsu was right, it was fruity.

"Not going to join them?" Lily said, and Levy smiled.

"Oh, I will. After I finish my drink." She took another sip. "It's very good."

"I'm glad you like it."

She drank a little more and set the half empty glass on the bar. "How do you know Natsu?" she asked, she was curious. She knew it was possible that Natsu had just stumbled upon this bar one day, but she had a feeling there was more to it.

"We have a … common friend."

She arched a brow, wondering what that story was, but he just smiled and she pursed her lips together.

"What about you?" he asked.

"Work."

"Ahh. Are you an artist?" She nodded and his smile turned thoughtful. "I thought about being an artist when I was younger, I always wanted to illustrate children's books." Then he chuckled. "It would've helped if I could actually draw."

"Not everyone can be as gifted as me."

He laughed again and she picked up her drink, smiling over the rim.

"What made you buy a bar?" she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

He shrugged. "Just felt like it."

She hummed, sensing more to the story, but didn't push. They were virtual strangers after all and she didn't want to tread into personal territory. At least not yet.

She gulped down the rest of her drink and rose to her feet. "How much do I owe you?" she asked, rooting around in her purse for her wallet, but he just waved her off.

"Don't worry about it."

She would've protested, but an arm looped through hers and she was tugged towards the dance floor before she could.

The last thing she saw before the crowd swallowed her was Lily's warm smile.

x

Panting and absolutely exhausted, they collapsed against the bar. It had been hours since they first arrived and they'd danced through three different bands, all of which were surprisingly good. Levy had already bought a few albums.

She gratefully accepted the water that Lily gave them, gulping half it down in one swallow. Then she groaned and dropped her head to the bar.

"I may never walk again," she moaned.

"Ditto," Lisanna said, practically falling into a stool.

Natsu just laughed. "You guys are weak," he said, puffing out his chest. Levy turned to stare up at him, smirking when he collapsed onto the stool. Even he looked a little worn out.

"Looking a little tired there, Natsu," Lisanna commented, and Natsu stuck his tongue out. Then he perked up and turned to Lily.

"Oh yeah! I was supposed to tell you that Gajeel's back."

Lily hummed thoughtfully. "I'll be sure to give him a call."

"Gajeel?" Lisanna asked, tilting her head.

"My brother. Well … sort of brother. We're not _actually_ related, but we're still brothers. Like me 'n Wendy."

"Ahh. Why haven't I heard of him before?"

"He travels a lot. Like more than you."

Levy tuned out their conversation as she rooted through her purse for her phone. She had a couple of texts from Jet and Droy and she sent them a quick safe travels text, then she glanced at the time and groaned.

"It's almost 2 a.m. which means time for me to leave," she said, getting to her feet. She wrapped her arms around Lisanna in a quick hug, pressing a kiss to her cheek, and ruffled Natsu's hair. "It was nice meeting you, Lily," she murmured, pausing to smile at him. "You'll probably be seeing me again."

"I look forward to it," he rumbled with a smile of his own.

Then with a final wave she turned and trotted out the door. She hadn't realized how late it'd gotten and seeing as she worked in 12 hours, she was ready to get home and get in bed. Her phone buzzed in her hand and she glanced at the screen, not seeing the person in front of her until she slammed into him.

She winced and barely saved her phone from falling, glancing up with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," she murmured, her eyes flashing to his face for a moment before back at her phone.

"'s okay," he rumbled, stepping to the side. She smiled again and stepped past him, her fingers flying across her phone as she assured Droy that the flight would be fine and the plane would most certainly _not_ crash into the Atlantic.

_He sure had a lot of piercings_ , she thought as she sent out the text and glanced over her shoulder in time to see the man disappear into the bar she'd just left. _And a whole lot of hair_.

Then her phone buzzed again, drawing a sigh from her lips as she once again assured Droy his flight would be fine.


	4. Chapter 4

"What about him?" Mirajane asked, pointing her pen at the man who walked passed. He glanced briefly in the parlor, and when he did Mira smiled and wiggled her fingers in a wave. Levy laughed when she noticed the pinkness to his ears as he sped up his pace.

"I've told you that I'm not looking for a new date just yet," she said, rolling her eyes. She spun her chair away from the window and stretched her arms over her head. "It's only been a week since Mark and I broke up."

"But the best way to get over a break up is to get right back on the horse."

Levy slanted a look at Mira, the receptionist looking far too innocent.

"You are not allowed to try to set me up with anyone. Got it?"

Mira huffed, her lips curling down with a pout, but Levy held her gaze until finally she sighed. "Fine. I'll let you wallow in post-break up sadness, even though that man is not worth it."

"Thanks for caring, but I promise you I'm fine."

The pout didn't leave Mira's face, but thankfully she dropped it when her phone rang. Levy left her to her conversation, flipping through one of the magazines they kept around instead.

News of her break up had quickly spread through her friend circle, and now half the time she was with any of them they gave her pitying glances. The other half they were like Mira, trying to push her onto a new guy. She was getting quite fed up with it all honestly.

"I've got to go," Mira said, standing suddenly, and Levy glanced up at her.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, nothing major." Mira grabbed her jacket and threw it over her shoulders, snatching up her purse. "You'll be fine on your own?"

"Of course. Go deal with whatever emergency it is this time."

Mira gave her a grateful smile before heading out the door, leaving Levy completely alone. She glanced around the room, pursing her lips. Lucy and Juvia would be on lunch for another 45 minutes at least, which meant Levy had the place to herself. She smiled and flicked on the radio, turning it up louder than necessary, then she grabbed her book and got comfy on the couch.

x

The bell above the door jingled and she sighed, closing her book. She was just getting to the climax and was looking forward to finding out who the killer was.

"Be right with you," she called, setting the book on the table and straightening her outfit. Then she pasted a smile on her face and stepped into the main room.

She paused when she saw the customer, her eyebrows arching in surprise. A lot of people came through the door and she'd learned early in life to not judge someone by their appearance, but she couldn't stop the slight shiver of fear that slithered down her spine at the sight of him.

Long dark hair spilled across his shoulders and down his back, and Levy wondered if it was as soft as it looked. His shirt was dark and had the sleeves torn off, giving her a great look at his muscular arms and the dragon tattoo that curled around his right shoulder. As her eyes traveled further she licked her lips, dark jeans encased a truly wonderful ass and he finished off his outfit with a pair of combat boots that were probably scuffing up her floor. And then he turned and she saw his face.

Sharp cheekbones and piercing eyes made her think of an elf from the fantasy novels she read. Metal glittered across his face, three silver hoops on one eyebrow and two on the other along with a bridge piercing on his nose. A silver ring hung from his septum and snakebites glittered on his mouth. More silver shone from his ears and Levy found herself wondering if he had any piercings hiding below the clothes.

The thought brought a blush to her cheeks and she shook her head, whatever fear she'd felt upon first seeing him had been replaced by something completely different.

She licked her lips and wondered if it was as hot as it felt or if it was just her.

"Hello," she said, forcing a smile to her face. _Be professional_. "If you have any questions feel free to ask."

He grunted, staring at her for a heartbeat longer. She wondered if he was wearing colored contacts, he had to be. No eyes could be that color naturally.

Then he glanced down at the portfolios and she settled herself into Mira's chair, picking up a pen to twirl between her fingers. She tried not to stare too openly at him, and when he looked up from the portfolio she flushed.

"See anything you like?"

He nodded, eyes flicking back to the portfolio. "This artist," he rumbled, and she felt her toes curl at his voice. That voice was something she wanted to wake up to in her ear.

She shook herself and glanced at the portfolio, a smile curling her lips. "What about them?"

"I like their stuff."

Her lips twitched and she leaned back in the chair. "Well, if you're interested in getting a tattoo I know they’re free right now."

"Yeah, alright."

"Excellent."

She got to her feet, grabbing the sketchpad she'd left out earlier. She flicked to an empty page and glanced up at him. "So … what are you interested in today?"

He just stared at her for a heartbeat, arching a brow. The metal rings glinted in the light, but she didn't let her eyes drop from his.

" _You're_ the artist?"

"Yep."

She grinned brightly, making sure to add more pep to it that usual. This wasn't the first time someone had been surprised to see she was the artist, maybe it was her oversized sweaters and overall girlish appearance. She knew people expected punk when they walked in tattoo places, dark clothes and music, but Levy liked her pastel colors and pop music. Sometimes it annoyed her when people judged her based on her appearance, but she figured he was allowed to since she'd done the same thing.

"Huh."

"Expecting someone different?" she asked, arching a brow as her grin dimmed to a smirk.

"Not really." His own mouth curled in a smirk and she didn't think it was possible, but it made him even _more_ attractive.

"So, what were you interested in getting?" she asked, poising the pen above the paper.

As he described the tattoo she drew it out. It wasn't anything too complicated, and once the sketch was done she stared down at it with pursed lips. The design involved a lot of thick black lines, and she could tell it fit him well.

"Like this?" she asked, sliding it across to him. He glanced down at the paper, tracing one of the lines with his finger as his lips turned up in a soft smile. If she hadn't been watching him so closely she probably would've missed it.

"Perfect." He glanced up at her, sliding the sketchpad back to her.

"Great. So we charge by the hour, 80-100 dollars an hour. I'd say this particular tattoo shouldn't take much more than an hour," she said. "Want to set up an appointment?"

He was staring at her again, his eyes boring into hers, and for a second she almost forgot how to breathe.

"How about right now?"

She blinked, licking her lips. "Let me just make sure I'm free," she said, grabbing the appointment book. She skimmed through the list, glad to see she didn't have an appointment for the rest of the day. "Alright, looks good." After filling out the required paperwork, she motioned for him to follow her behind the counter and led him to her spot.

"Where did you want the tattoo?" she asked.

"Right here," he rumbled, pressing his hand above his heart with a smirk.

"Alright then," she said, her voice sounding a tad too high. "Take off your shirt and let's get started."

He was still smirking when he pulled the shirt off over his head and she couldn't stop the squeak from escaping. She'd seen _a lot_ of bodies in her career, but nothing compared to the perfection of his. Along with the dragon tattoo on his shoulder he had a quote along his right ribcage, and she curled her hands to keep from reaching out and touching it.

"Okay," she said, clearing her throat. She really hoped her cheeks weren't as red as they felt, but the smirk on his face told her they were. "Let's do this."

Of course it took her another minute before she managed to tear her gaze away from his chest and get her equipment together.

"Are you absolutely positive you want this?" she asked before starting. She'd lost count of the number of times she'd had someone in the chair, ready to go, and had them back out at the last minute.

"Completely," he said, his eyes sparkling with his smirk.

"Just want to make sure."

She cleaned off the spot, her fingers brushing against his skin. Electricity danced up her arm, but she ignored it. Once she started tattooing she couldn't allow herself to get distracted by anything, not even the perfectly sculpted chest of this god incarnate.

She pressed one hand against his stomach, letting herself revel in the wonder of his abs, and leaned forward with her needle in hand. She'd tugged her hair back in a ponytail, but a few curls still hung loose.

"Keep still," she murmured, her eyes flicking to his face as her lips curled with a grin. "Don't want me to mess up, do you?"

He just chuckled, but his body still under her hand, his chest barely even rising his with breaths. Right before her needle touched the skin he took a deep breath, and then she started.

The quiet buzzing quickly lulled her into a trance, her eyes focused on the spot of skin she was marking. Everything else faded away into the background as she worked, her tongue darting out to rest on her lip as she concentrated. He didn't flinch once during the process and she was impressed, even when the design inched onto his ribs he remained still. She risked a glance at his face during a pause and was surprised to see his eyes closed and his face relaxed, almost like he was sleeping. But then they flashed open and she flushed, quickly ducking her head to get back to work.

She wasn't sure how much timed passed, but it felt like only minutes later she was sitting back and staring at the finished product. A slight frown creased her brow as she studied it. She hadn't messed up, but she always felt like something was off when she finished a tattoo.

"Are you done?" he asked, and she glanced at his face.

"Yes. Would you like to see it?" She motioned towards the mirror and he sat up, swinging his legs off the chair. She started cleaning up as he got a look at his new tattoo, her eyes continuously flicking to his back. After what felt like hours he turned towards her, a smile curling his lips.

"I'm impressed," he said.

"Well, what can I say? I'm impressive."

He chuckled and she stepped towards him. Her fingers lightly touching his chest as she got the bandaid on it. "I'm assuming I don't need to go over aftercare with you?" she asked, glancing at him with an arched brow.

"I think I've got it."

She smiled and stepped back, tugging her gloves off.

"Well, looks like we're done here then. You can put your shirt back on and I'll go calculate the cost." Her eyes lingered one last time on his chest and she turned, blinking in surprise when she saw who was sitting on the couch.

"Hey," Lucy said, popping a chip in her mouth.

"Hello," Juvia murmured, her eyes flashing to the customer.

"How long have you two been there?"

Lucy lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "Long enough."

Levy opened her mouth to reply when she felt the heat on her back. A tremor slid down her spine and she glanced over her shoulder. He'd gotten his shirt back on and was staring down at her with an arched brow.

"Right, the money." She quickly hurried to the front of the store where the register was. It didn't take long to calculate the cost and he handed over the cash. "Thanks for choosing Fairy Ink," she said with a smile. "I'm Levy, in case you didn't notice. Feel free to come back any time."

His lips curled up in a smirk and she felt her breath catch in her throat. "I'll be sure to do that," he rumbled, then he left and she watched him go until he was out of sight, her body practically tingling.

She wasn't sure why she'd reacted so strongly to him, but there was just something about him that made her heart race and her palms sweaty. Something that made her want to tug him against her and kiss him until they were both gasping for breath.

She flushed at her thoughts and turned to her two friends. Juvia had a small smile on her face, but Lucy was smirking, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"I know what you're about to say," Levy said, holding up a hand before Lucy could get a word out. "And no. I am not going to let you try to hook me up with him."

"But he was cute."

"He's also a _complete_ stranger."

"Everyone's a stranger until you get to know them."

Juvia nodded and Levy rolled her eyes.

"Not happening," she called over her shoulder as she headed in the back.

"You just keep thinking that!" Lucy called back.

Levy laughed, grabbing her lunch out of the fridge. She didn't know why her friends were so obsessed with getting her a date, but she wasn't going to let them force her into anything. It didn't matter if he _was_ cute, she'd just gotten out of a long term relationship and didn't want to start anything.

Not even with what had possibly been the most beautiful man she'd ever seen.

She remembered the name she'd seen on the license—Gajeel Redfox—and she wondered why it sounded familiar.

She would've remembered meeting someone like him before, she was sure of it.

With a shake of her head she sat down. She was probably never going to see him again anyways, so none of it mattered.

But she couldn't stop herself from remembering what his chest had felt like under her hand and she sighed.

It was a shame she hadn't gotten his number.


	5. Chapter 5

"—and Chelia asked me to the dance because she knew Romeo was going to, and she knows I only think of Romeo as a friend. So when he finally asked and I said I was going with Chelia, he got so _sad_ that I ended up inviting him to come with us. So now we're getting dinner together before and then we're going to have a sleepover! Well Lily probably won't let Romeo stay over because he's protective like that, but he'll be able to hang out for a while at least."

Levy couldn't stop her smile as Wendy bounced around, telling her all about the last month.

"You met Lily right? What did you think of him?"

"He was nice."

Levy found it a bit strange that they'd never mentioned the fact that Lily was acting as Wendy's guardian, and had been since her mother had died 4 years ago. Heck, it was strange that they'd never really mentioned him before …

"He's the nicest! A giant teddy bear, just like Gajeel." Wendy paused her bouncing. "Have you met him yet?"

Levy shook her head. "I didn't even know he existed before last month."

A small frown creased the corners of Wendy's eyes and she dropped her gaze. "Yeah, he's … a private person. I hadn't even met him until I started staying with Lily. He travels a lot."

"Yeah, that's what Natsu said. Apparently he's back, though."

Wendy brightened. "Yeah! He hasn't stopped by Lily's yet though …" Her brow furrowed with a small pout. "I wonder what he's doing." She paused and shook her head. "Whatever it is I'm sure he's busy."

Her smile was back and Levy let the topic drop. She had a lot of questions about both Gajeel and Lily, but she figured her friends had reasons for not mentioning them before.

"Hey Wendy, don't ya have that babysitting gig to get to?" Natsu asked, coming out of the backroom.

Wendy gasped and grabbed her phone. "I'm going to be late! Charle is gonna be _soo_ upset." She grabbed her bag off the floor, throwing it over her shoulder as she dashed to the door. "Sorry, Levy! We'll talk again soon! Bye!"

The door banged shut behind her and Levy laughed quietly, turning to face Natsu.

"You've met Gajeel," he said, and she blinked in surprise.

"What?" She felt like she would've remembered meeting him.

"Yeah! You gave him a tattoo."

"I did?" Then she remembered two weeks ago. "Oh my god! That's why his name sounded familiar." Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth.

Natsu nodded. "He clearly didn't want me to know he came here for the tattoo, but once I saw it I knew it was one of yours." He flashed a bright grin. "I can recognize your stuff."

"I can't believe he didn't introduce himself!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest with a pout. "The nerve!"

Natsu laughed. "He's shy."

She arched a brow. "He sure didn't seem like it."

Natsu shrugged, falling onto the couch they kept out there for customers. "That's because he's acting. He pretends to be all big and tough but he's a dork underneath it all." Natsu yawned and stretched his arms out over his head. "Don't tell him I said that though."

Levy chuckled and slid over to sit next to Natsu, setting his head in her lap so she could run her fingers through his hair. He made a pleased purr and shifted closer to her.

"What's he doing anyways? Wendy said he hasn't visited her yet …"

"Yeah, he's been sleeping above Extalia. Don't know what he's been doing during the day though, he seems to be busy."

"Hmm." Levy's fingers worked through Natsu's hair, massaging the scalp, and he yawned again. "You need a haircut."

"You think Cana would give me one for free if I begged?"

"No. But you'd give her a good laugh."

He huffed and the bell jingled as someone entered. She looked up, a smile on her face for the customer.

"Are you open?" It was a girl who looked barely past 18. She shifted on her feet, twisting her bag strap before her fingers as her eyes flicked around the room.

"Yes." Levy nudged Natsu as she got to her feet, moving back around the counter. "Was there anything you were interested in?"

"A nose r-ring."

"Okay." Levy glanced at Natsu who was slowly getting to his feet. "Well, that's our piercing guy. You can ask him any questions you have." She smiled and stepped away, letting Natsu deal with the girl.

He had a way of calming people and after a few minutes of talking the girl no longer looked like she was about to bolt. Levy smiled and headed to the back, leaving Natsu with his customer. She was busy tidying up the break room when she heard the bell again.

"Be right there!" she called, frowning at the pile of trash. She ended up just dropping her trash back on top of it before heading into the front, and who she saw made her pause.

A slow smile curled her lips and she crossed her arms over her chest, resting her hip against the counter.

"Gajeel, right?"

He stared—he seemed to do that a lot. "Right."

"Are you here for another tattoo?"

He shook his head and motioned towards where Natsu was bent over the girl. "I was in the neighborhood and figured I'd head back with Natsu."

"That's too bad." She smiled, motioning towards the couch. "If you want to wait there he'll be done soon and then we'll start to close up."

Gajeel nodded, his body stiff as he moved to the couch, and Levy bit back a chuckle. Natsu seemed to be right, Gajeel wasn't big and tough, although he definitely tried to act that way. Now that Levy knew who he was he seemed to be so much more … awkward.

"How's the tattoo treating you?" she asked. She knew she should get started on the cleaning stuff, but she was fascinated by Gajeel. Maybe it was just the mystery about him, maybe it was because she hadn't known he existed and didn't know so much, or maybe it was just because he made her breath catch in her throat with that damn smirk of his …

The very smirk on his face right then.

"It's all healed, barely caused me any irritation."

"That's good."

His eyes flashed and his smirk widened to show his teeth. "Want to see it?"

Her face flamed and she thought about saying no, but she was a tattoo artist and it _was_ her tattoo so she was allowed to see it … right? And if she so happened to ogle that beautiful dark chest in the process … well things happen.

"If you're comfortable with doing that I would love to." She came around the counter so she could get closer and he tugged his shirt up. Her eyes skimmed the quote tattoo and drifted to her tattoo.

Without thinking about it she reached out, but she stopped herself before touching the skin. She could feel the heat from him wrapping around her fingers and crawling all through her body. She released a breath on a shudder and peeked up at him from under her lashes.

"Do you mind?"

He shook his head, something in his eyes practically crackling. She licked her lips and closed the distance, her finger tracing each thick black line. The tattoo was slightly raised above the rest of the skin, but aside from that it blended in perfectly.

"I don't mean to interrupt but aren't we closing?"

Levy gasped and stumbled back a step, pulling her hand to her chest. It was still warm …

Gajeel dropped his shirt and Levy looked at Natsu, hoping her cheeks weren't as red as they felt. The girl was standing next to him, gaping at Gajeel, and Levy felt a chuckle crawl up her throat. She imagined she'd had the same expression just a few seconds ago.

"We're just waiting on you," Gajeel rumbled, and yeah, Levy could definitely wake up to that voice. And fall asleep to it. And just _live_ in it.

She shook her head and slid back over the counter, hoping her hair was covering her blush.

"Well let's just get Rose here rung up and then we can close up."

Levy focused on cleaning everything and getting them stored in their proper places, ignoring the weight of the eyes on her shoulders. If Gajeel wanted to stare then he could stare, it was only fair after all the staring she'd done. But she wished she could ignore it, instead she felt like her entire body was on fire.

It didn't take long before they'd gotten everything shut down and Levy grabbed her purse from the back, waiting for Gajeel and Natsu to exit before locking the door behind them.

She brushed some hair behind her ear and smiled at Gajeel. "It was nice to officially meet you. Maybe we'll see each other again."

Natsu pulled her into a hug with promises to see her soon, and then they parted and Levy headed for home. She felt eyes on her until she turned a corner, and even then she could still feel the ghost of them.

She sighed and shook her head. Really this crush was just plain pathetic. She wasn't looking to date again, not so soon after the break up, but if Gajeel asked her … she knew she wouldn't be able to say no.

She wasn’t even sure she wanted to.

X

Another Friday came and Levy was restless. Normally she had no trouble spending her days off just sitting in her house and reading, but there was something under her skin that made it impossible to sit still for long. She thought about seeing if Lucy and Juvia wanted to go out together, but she knew the cause of the restlessness and she knew they would laugh if she brought them along.

So she left alone, making sure to avoid Fairy Ink as she headed down the darkening streets. Cars sped by on the road and groups of people jostled her on the sidewalk, but she kept her head down and kept walking.

She made it to Extalia just after eight. The bouncer carded her, but she was used to that. Even though she was 25 her small body always had people mistaking her for much younger. Once she was cleared she slid into the bar, pausing just inside the door.

The place was full, but not crowded. There was still room to move around and a few tables remained empty. Her eyes swept the crowd, but she didn’t see any familiar faces and she relaxed slightly. As much as she loved her friends, she knew none of them would let her live it down if they found out about her crush.

Not that it was a crush.

She shook her head and wove through the crowd to the bar, claiming one of the stools. Once again Lily was behind the counter and when he saw her he smiled.

"Levy, right? It’s been awhile." He began mixing up a drink and handed it to her. "Are you alone?"

She nodded and sipped the drink, surprised by the sweetness of it. "I had some free time and I thought I'd come check out the scene." _And maybe catch a glimpse of Gajeel_. "I was also hoping to speak to you for a bit, if you're not busy."

"I've got my break scheduled in 10 minutes, if you don't mind waiting." She shook her head and he smiled. Someone down the bar called to him and he left. Levy took the moment to spin on the stool, staring out over the crowd again.

For a moment she thought she saw a flash of pink hair, but when she looked closer it was too long, belonging to a woman. Her heart slowed a bit and she sighed, taking another sip of the drink. She had no reason to be afraid of spotting a friend, they had no idea _why_ she was here, and it wasn't like they would know unless she told them. They'd probably just think she was enjoying her night off …

Except she knew Lucy and Lucy knew her and there was no way Lucy would believe she would come to a club _alone_ on her night off. Levy preferred to do these things with friends, otherwise she just stayed home with a book.

She shook her head and it was then she was aware of the guy standing next to her. He was grinning and she gave him a cautious smile back.

_Please just be after a drink_.

"I noticed you were here alone," he started, and she sighed.

"I'm flattered, but I'm not alone."

"Oh?" He pointedly looked around and she plastered a grin to her face, leaning forward as if she were about to share a secret.

"You see the bartender," she breathed, motioning towards Lily. The guy nodded, and she smiled. "I'm just waiting for him to start his break." She leaned back slightly, glancing back at Lily. "I hope he doesn't see you talking to me though, last time …" She trailed off, lifting her shoulder in a shrug. "Well let's just say that guy didn't dance for a while after that."

The guy's eyes widened and she released her breath on a sigh, shaking her head as she turned back to the bar. She was surprised to see Lily standing so close, and he arched a brow.

"Sorry," she murmured, her cheeks flushing. "Didn't mean to use you like that."

He chuckled, his laughter deep and rich. "Don't worry about it. Glad I could be of help to you, even without doing anything." He ducked out from behind the bar and motioned for her to follow. He led her to a door marked private, holding it open for her before following her in. Back here the noise from the bar was muted and Lily led her to a little sitting area. "If we talk fast enough you'll be able to catch Gajeel's performance."

Her heart skipped a beat and she ducked her head. "He plays?"

Lily nodded, grabbing a couple of water bottles from a mini-fridge before sitting across from Levy. "He's not the best singer, but he's one of the best guitarists I've ever met. He tends to play on weekends and helps out behind the bar when I need him."

Levy nodded, so she would get a chance to see Gajeel.

Lily was studying her face and she flushed. "So," she said, clearing her throat and praying he couldn't read thoughts. "I wanted to talk to you because you're Wendy's guardian, right?"

Lily nodded. "Has she done something?"

"No, no. Of course not. She's an angel as usual, I just … I find it strange that you've been her guardian for four years, yet this is my first time really meeting you."

"Ahh." Lily sighed and set his water on the little table between them, resting his chin on his hands. "That would be my fault. I prefer to stay under the radar and they know it."

Levy wanted to ask why, but she didn't want to overstep her boundaries.

"And Gajeel? Is he the same?"

Lily shook his head, chuckling softly. "Gajeel likes to vanish. He often leaves for months at a time, it's no surprise you never met him. He rarely stays in Magnolia for more than a few weeks at a time."

"So you think he'll be leaving again soon?" It had been a month since Natsu had first said he got back …

"Maybe." Lily was watching her closely and she coughed, her cheeks heating up. "Maybe not. Sometimes he does stay for longer."

She nodded, playing with the water bottle. "I just …" She sighed, glancing up at Lily. "I feel a bit betrayed I guess. That my friends, some of my best friends, never told me about part of their life, y'know? I mean I know they have their reasons, and it wasn't like they were keeping you guys a secret or anything."

"That's understandable." Lily reached across the distance, patting her knee softly. "It really was my fault, I asked them not to talk about me too much. I have … a rocky past, and I'm trying to keep it from catching up to me." Levy nodded and Lily got to his feet. "Now come on. I have to get back to work and Gajeel should be starting soon."

They headed back to the bar and Levy parted with a promise to come back again. She slid towards the stage, not too close that she'd be seen, but close enough to get a good look at Gajeel.

Under the lights he looked even more intimidating, shadows stretched over his dark skin and his eyes seemed to be glowing. He was settling himself down on a stool, a guitar resting on his leg, and he flashed a grin out over the crowd as he started strumming.

At first it was just soft chords, but it began to pick up speed and intensity and she found herself swaying along with the crowd. It wasn’t head banging music, but it made her feel like if she closed her eyes she could fly. She wasn't sure how long the song was, it felt like hours but she knew it had to have been only minutes. As it drew to a close she opened her eyes, surprised to see Gajeel staring right at her.

At least that was what it felt like, but there was no way he could be. She was lost in the crowd.

Then he started the next song, and this time he sang. His voice was rough, a bit scratchy, and his lyrics were … simply atrocious, but the guitar playing balanced it and made him sound almost … good. She smiled softly, slipping through the crowd and to the door. She'd done what she came for, and it was time to head home.

The sounds of Gajeel's guitar followed her to the street and she knew she'd be back.


End file.
